Effective and culturally acceptable water storage in Zimbabwe: maintaining the quality of water abstracted from upgraded family wells.

Because domestic water can be a vehicle of disease transmission in the home, there is a need for intervention. In Zimbabwe. 60 rural households obtaining water from shallow wells were selected for a field study. A water urn was designed, pretested, and field-tested. Thirty households designated as the case group were given two water urns each to substitute for traditional water storage containers (paint containers, oil containers, etc.). The remaining 30 households served as a control group. Samples were collected twice, at two-week intervals, from the water supply source (upgraded family wells) and storage containers (water urn or traditional containers) of each household (228 samples). Total coliform bacteria and fecal coliform bacteria were enumerated with the membrane filtration technique. A pretest of the water urn design showed a decline in turbidity that corresponded with a decline in bacterial counts. Wells supplying the case households had higher bacterial counts than those supplying the control households, but bacterial loads in the water urns were significantly lower than those observed in the corresponding supply wells (paired t-test: t = 3.97, df = 55, p < .01). Bacterial loads in traditional containers were similar to those observed in the supply wells (paired t-test; t = 0.2, df = 57, p > .05). The case group eagerly substituted water urns for traditional containers. The use of water urns was found to prevent or to reduce further contamination of well water after collection.

Pit latrine effluent infiltration into groundwater: the Epworth case study.

Water can be a vehicle for the transmission of communicable diseases. Technologies have been developed to protect groundwater from external surface contamination. However, there is growing concern about the likelihood of pit latrine effluent infiltrating into groundwater reservoirs for well water supply systems. Investigations on seasonal variations and extent of pit latrine effluent infiltration into soil and groundwater have been carried out in Zimbabwe. Preliminary results show that groundwater flows in the direction of surface runoff, and that there is no lateral soil pollution above the groundwater surface. Pit latrine contents leach downwards and down slopes for distances that vary per season and soil type. The results also demonstrate the contribution of refuse pits and water collection methods to groundwater pollution.

Prevalence of gonorrhoea and knowledge of sexually transmitted infections in a farming community in Zimbabwe.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of gonorrhoea and knowledge about sexually transmitted infections in a farming community. DESIGN: Cross sectional study. SETTING: Commercial farming area, Zimbabwe. SUBJECTS: 1,005 individuals aged between 15 and 60 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence rates, knowledge of gonorrhoea and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by age and sex. RESULTS: Knowledge of gonorrhoea and other STIs was higher while knowledge of AIDS was lower among males than females. Frequency of past history of STIs in five years was significantly higher among males than females (OR 3.22; 95% CI 2.45 to 4.25). Physical examination revealed that 14% of males and 22% of females had other STIs besides gonorrhoea. The prevalence of gonorrhea was 18.4% (95% CI 16.0 to 20.8) and was higher among females than males (OR 2.77; 95% CI 1.97 to 3.90). Thirty one percent of the gonorrhoea infections were due to penicillinase producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings emphasize the disparity between knowledge and practices with regards to STIs, and the importance of STIs as potential targets for and indices in the fight against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

PIP: A cross-sectional study of 1005 males and females 15-60 years of age from a commercial farming community (Hippo Valley Sugar Estates) in Zimbabwe investigated knowledge and prevalence rates of gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Although over 70% of respondents were aware of gonorrhea, only 45.5% were knowledgeable about AIDS. Males had higher knowledge of gonorrhea and other STIs than females, but lower knowledge of HIV/AIDS. 47% of subjects had a history of an STI in the 5 years preceding the study. The frequency of such a history was significantly higher among males compared to females (odds ratio (OR), 3.22; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.45-4.25). Physical examination indicated that 20.5% of males and 37.9% of females had signs of STIs. The majority of STI cases affected men in the 20-29 year age group and women 30-39 years of age. Gonorrhea prevalence was 18.4% and significantly higher among females than males (OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.97-3.90). 31% of gonorrhea infections were associated with penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Since STIs have been associated with increased transmission of HIV, these infections should be targeted for campaigns aimed at reducing the disparity between knowledge and practices. Moreover, examination of the prevalence of STIs such as gonorrhea is a quick way of assessing the impact of HIV control measures in a community.

Contamination of traditional drinking water sources during a period of extreme drought in the Zvimba communal lands, Zimbabwe.

OBJECTIVES: Diarrhoeal disease is a significant public health concern in Zimbabwe, particularly for the population living in rural settings. The present study was undertaken to investigate the quality of water in a rural area of Zimbabwe during a period of extreme drought. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross sectional survey study design was used. During the month of July 1995, water samples were collected from various actively used sources in the Zvimba communal lands, Zimbabwe. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The level of contamination was estimated by use of the membrane filtration technique to detect the presence of Escherichia coli. RESULTS: Mean concentrations of E. coli found in boreholes and piped water were 9.3 and zero colonies per 100 ml, respectively. Using standardized criteria to define suitable drinking water quality, borehole and piped sources were determined to be more likely to provide satisfactory drinking water. CONCLUSIONS: Water samples collected from semi-protected and unprotected wells, which serve the majority of the population in the study area, were found to be unsatisfactory for drinking (range from two to 1,960 colonies of E. coli per 100 ml). Included are suggestions on how to efficiently utilize available water.

In vitro activity of several antimicrobial agents against Neisseria gonorrhoeae and comparison of cost of treatment.

During a cross sectional study on the prevalence and incidence of gonorrhoea, Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated from 185 people aged between 16 and 60 years. In vitro activity of six antimicrobial antibacterial agents, penicillin, erythromycin, tetracycline, cotrimoxazole, ceftriaxone and norfloxacin on the isolated N. gonorrhoeae were carried out. The results obtained showed that, of all 111 isolates, 48 (43.2 pc) were penicillinase producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG) and 63 (56.8 pc) were non PPNGs. Over 90 pc of both PPNG and non PPNG isolates were sensitive to tetracyline and erythromycin. Seventy five pc of the PPNG and 45 pc non-PPNG were not sensitive to two units of penicillin. Both PPNG and non-PPNG were less sensitive to cotrimoxazole 25 micrograms. Norfloxacin and ceftriaxone were over 70 pc effective but were extremely expensive for most people who got infected.